Baseball Teams Raid Florida Warehouse

No. 2 Pick J.d. Drew Of Florida State Leads A Long List Of Florida Players Selected In The Major-league Draft.

June 4, 1997|By Alan Schmadtke of The Sentinel Staff

Major League Baseball's amateur draft carved through Florida on Tuesday, doing so with a touch of history.

Florida State outfielder J.D. Drew and pitcher Tim Drew of Georgia's Lowndes County High School became the first brothers taken in the first round of the same draft.

Chesapeake (Va.) Great Bridge High School teammates Michael Cuddyer - an FSU signee - and John Curtice became the first prep teammates selected in the first round.

And Stetson shortstop Kevin Nicholson carried his country's banner. He became the first Canadian selected in Round 1.

After Detroit made Rice University reliever Matt Anderson the No. 1 pick - the first of 16 pitchers to be selected in the first round - Philadelphia took Drew, college baseball's consensus player of the year.

''It's very exciting for the family,'' J.D. Drew said. ''Maybe everything will work out for both of us.''

It may take some time.

The Phillies, like the rest of the clubs, must offer a contract in writing within 15 days. Their initial offer is expected to be between $2.5 million and $3 million.

However, indications are Drew will keep his amateur status for most of the summer.

''We have some numbers in mind. It'll be above $100,000 but below $10 million,'' Phillies President Bill Giles said. ''I'm not optimistic that it'll be a quick signing.''

Nicholson, a native of British Columbia, was the 27th overall pick by the San Diego Padres.

''I'm more excited than surprised,'' Nicholson said. ''The talk of the town was that I was going to Boston. It just goes to show that you can't let anyone tell you where you're going to be drafted.''

Nicholson was the second state shortstop drafted. South Florida's Jason Dellaero was the 15th pick by the Chicago White Sox.

While Michigan high school pitcher Ryan Anderson dropped from the potential No. 1 pick to a 19th pick by Seattle, two other Floridians were first-round selections.

Tampa pitcher Geoff Goetz went No. 6 to the New York Mets, and Fort Lauderdale's Troy Cameron went No. 29 to Atlanta.

Meanwhile, the state's colleges have an unenviable task ahead - trying to keep their high draft picks from turning pro before they attend their first college class.

Cameron and Tim Drew are also FSU signees, as is sixth-round Braves pick Brett Groves, a shortstop from Tampa.

Goetz signed in the fall with the Gators.

''We got nailed,'' FSU coach Mike Martin said. ''We've never kept a first-rounder. I'm holding out hope until I hear that they sign.''

The odds aren't good this time, either. Last year, discounting sandwich picks, every first-round draftee turned pro.

The Montreal Expos used a first-round ''sandwich'' pick - the 47th overall - to nab New Port Richey right-handed pitcher T.J. Tucker, who was 7-2 with a 0.62 ERA and 115 strikeouts as a senior. The lofty selection means Tucker, a 6-foot-4, 240-pounder, likely will opt for a baseball career and bypass a football scholarship with the Gators. Tucker was a Parade All-America and Super Senior kicker at River Ridge High.

The Seminoles also had a football signee picked. Tight end/first baseman Alvin Morrow was a second-round pick - 64th overall - by the Brewers.

South Lake third baseman/outfielder Jeff Deardorff, a Miami signee, was a third-round pick of Milwaukee.